Conservatives need to restore principle and practical sense

“Politicians need both a scholar’s sense of principle and a merchant’s practical instincts,” former President Kim Dae-jung advised visiting politicians on January 1, 2005. He stressed that leaders must uphold a rigorous ethical framework like a scholar but warned that focusing solely on principle can lead to rigidity. At the same time, he urged politicians to adopt the pragmatic awareness of merchants, who weigh when to buy, sell, and invest. Analysts interpreted his remarks as a subtle critique of hardliners in the then ruling Uri Party, cautioning that an obsession with reform ideals should not overshadow practical considerations necessary to sustain progress.

The dual concept of a scholar’s principles and a merchant’s pragmatism became a hallmark of Kim’s philosophy and a guiding framework for Democratic Party politicians. Former President Roh Moo-hyun’s decision to implement the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, despite domestic opposition, reflected the same balance. Former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan often emphasized, “Learn values from history and methods from reality,” echoing Kim’s ethos. President Lee Jae-myung has also cited this approach, highlighting pragmatism as a cornerstone of his governance. In contrast, Uri Party hardliners had clung to reformist principles, such as abolishing the National Security Law and revising private school regulations, while neglecting practical considerations, ultimately contributing to the party’s loss of power.

Conservative parties have historically succeeded by blending a scholar’s ideological awareness with a merchant’s pragmatism. Predecessor parties of today’s People Power Party cultivated a commitment to protecting liberal democracy and the rule of law while implementing social programs like national health insurance and basic pensions. Average annual minimum wage growth was slightly higher under the Park Geun-hye administration (7.4%) than under the Moon Jae-in government (7.2%), showing how conservatives converted traditionally progressive policies into tangible results. Post-Cold War diplomacy with the Soviet Union and China expanded economic opportunities, further demonstrating practical foresight.

Today, the People Power Party appears to be losing its balance. Lawmakers hesitated to declare the December 3 emergency decree unconstitutional or illegal, and many boycotted the vote to lift the decree. Attempts to overturn the party’s democratically chosen presidential candidate failed, and the party leader seemed to question a court ruling sentencing former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment. These actions suggest a weakening of the party’s traditional commitment to liberal democracy and the rule of law.

Excessive focus on radical libertarianism and market ideology has also eroded practical instincts. Labor and welfare policies have largely disappeared from the party platform. The former Yoon Suk-yeol administration briefly proposed extending the 52-hour workweek to 69 hours but quickly retracted the plan after youth protests. Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the People Power Party, acknowledged on April 1 that the public perceives the party as unsympathetic to workers. To counter this perception, the party must demonstrate in practice that it embraces both a scholar’s principles and a merchant’s pragmatism. Doing so is crucial to rebuilding a conservative base at risk of fragmentation.


Sung-Yeol Yoo ryu@donga.com